What Is Hummus Made Of That Makes It So Healthy and Delicious?

If you haven’t already tasted this delicious Middle Eastern dip, don’t wait any longer. Hummus is a simple, yet savory and yummy dish that not only satisfies your hunger but also provides you with loads of healthy benefits. It’s a delicious treat that you don’t have to feel guilty about indulging in. When you see what is hummus , it’s easy to realize why eating it has so many benefits.

Not only are there a number of health benefits that come along with eating hummus, but it also tastes great. So, unlike some healthy foods that taste awful and make eating them feel like a punishment, this is one food that feels like you’re being indulgent when eating it, because of the tasty combination of ingredients that make up hummus. Hummus is a basic dip, with simple ingredients. When looking at the basic recipe for what is hummus, it is a simple blend of chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and tahini that can be made traditionally like that, or can be altered to create different and new flavors. The classic combination of what is hummus is so savory on it’s own that it doesn’t need any altering.

Chickpeas are actually beans – they’re better known as garbanzo beans. Beans are great to help lower your cholesterol while increasing your fiber intake. They’ve also got great benefits for lowering your risk of heart disease, keeping you regular, as well as other great health benefits.

Tahini is one of the essential ingredients in the basic recipe of what is hummus. This is a sesame paste, which gives the hummus it’s earthy flavor and is high in iron, as well as other nutrients. All of these ingredients are healthy components that come together to create a healthier option for a dip.

Because of these healthy ingredients that make up what is hummus, this dip has a good amount of protein, essential vitamins and minerals and good, unsaturated fats. It’s an easy item to add to your diet in order to increase your intake of these things.

What Are The Health Benefits of Hummus?

Did you know, that because what is hummus, just a small 2 tablespoon serving contains 2g of protein, 3g of fat – and that’s the good kind of fat, and 2g of fiber. That, and it’s just got 50 calories in that serving. There’s only a minimal amount of saturated fat in hummus. Most of the fat in it is good, unsaturated fats. And, because it mostly contains chickpeas, it has a high protein content that helps to keep you feeling fuller for a longer amount of time.

The high fiber content of hummus can help keep you regular. That’s mostly credited to the chickpeas it’s made of. Also because of the chickpeas in it, hummus is high in protein. For vegetarians, hummus is a wonderful source of protein that is a building block for your bones, muscle and skin. The properties of chickpeas are also shown to lower your risks of cancers and help with weight loss. Tahini is made with sesame seeds which, along with chickpeas, are great sources of iron, which helps prevent any iron deficiencies.

Hummus is also gluten free, and if you’re combining it with veggies for dipping, it’s a complete gluten free treat. With so many food allergies and intolerances these days, hummus and veggies are a great option to serve at a party without having to worry about many different diets and allergies. It’s vegan, gluten-free and healthy, so it’s able to be enjoyed by practically everyone.

One of the best health benefits that hummus provides is that it prevents you from eating something else that is much more unhealthy. Choosing to fill up on hummus and veggies is a great way to satisfy a craving and fill your hunger while avoiding junk foods. So, essentially, it’s got a double health benefit to choosing this delicious dip.

How Is Hummus Made?

Making hummus is actually quite simple, because it’s made with simple ingredients. All you need are the essential ingredients and a food processor. You could add different ingredients to create new flavors, but to create a traditional hummus, you’ll just need the basics.

All you need to do is put all the ingredients of what is hummus into your food processor and blend them together. Then, enjoy your hummus with pita or vegetables. It also makes a great sandwich spread that can be used in place of high cholesterol mayonnaise.

Choose a good, high-quality olive oil to get the healthiest and tastiest hummus you can create. You can also add different things to create different types of hummus – black or green olives, roasted red peppers, jalapenos, the options are endless.

You can easily buy hummus already made from the store, but you can just as easily make your own hummus at home. By making it at home, you can be sure that only healthy and whole ingredients are used, and no preservatives or other additives are used, that are usually necessary for premade foods. When you avoid these things in your home made hummus, you’ll keep it as healthy as possible.

Indulge yourself with a delicious Middle Eastern treat. Hummus is not only savory and yummy, but it’s also loaded with healthy benefits. So, you can treat yourself without the guilty feelings you get with other tasty foods. Substitute the junk foods for something healthy, and benefit from all of the great things that hummus is packed with.

Image Rights

Images used under a creative commons license – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Image One by Whitney – https://www.flickr.com/photos/whitneyinchicago/4525294455/

Image Two by Krista – https://www.flickr.com/photos/scaredykat/6936427434/